Personal Attributes and Skills of Bartenders in Two Selected Bars in Las Pinas Area

INTRODUCTION

The bartender is also part of the society. Sometimes, they are compared to Hollywood idol. But whatever the image, it is not always the most glamorous job. According to Mr. Clausewits (2005).”Train hard, fight easy.” He directly pointed out that a good bartender must know the job better in order to achieve success in bar operation in an easy way.

“Not just regular Joe off the street can become a good professional bartender is much more complex that most people think. Bartending is jobs that give you praises and outstanding recognitions the same as the well-respected and talented chef. But before anyone could be good bartender. They must be acquiring such skills and attributes.

Most bartenders are never formally trained. But each of them has different skills and attributes that are uniquely transparent to others. Skills like creativity, showmanship or execution and knowledge in Mixology which makes them productive in accomplishing their work with a minimum expenditure of their time and effort. On the hand, attributes like communication skills, personal hygiene and personal etiquette would enable them to produce the intended or expected result of work to be able to get the confidence of their customers. The “central figure” The bartender (Tomas, 2004). The figure is usually one of the best friends and commonly serves as the public image of the bar they tend, contributing to as well as reflecting the atmosphere of the establishment but they vary in skills and attributes they acquired.

According to Porter (2006) there are certain qualities that a good bartender must acquire. First, being a good host. The ideal person can get along with all the other groups of employees- front of the house (servers, hostesses, etc) the kitchen staff, management and every guest who walks through the door. Bartenders can make people feel welcome. Secondly , a diplomat. Since this person is a observant, good bartender knows when to be silent, knows when to gently but firmly refuse to serve more to someone who’s just trying to be friendly. Third has authority figure. A good bartender can control man or woman behind the bar and solve problems of the entire business even if the things get busy. Fourth, being a Role Model. A representative of bar or a restaurant, (male or female). A good bartender can handle any situation in any bar at any time. For a long time. The bar was a man’s world. But no longer be a fact some club owners feel that women bring a different temperament to bartending, that they have the ability to defuse tense situations without becoming aggressive and find them more willing to learn, practice. Take notes and ask questions.

In the Philippines, there is no school for bartenders, but there is an organization and government agencies that conducts seminars and trainings, the Philippine bartenders League and the Flair Club of the Philippines, DOT and TESDA. They help to develop and enhance the potentials of the Filipino bartenders to be a good and professional one.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

To determine the personal attributes and skills of bartenders of two selected bars in Las Pinas area.

SPECIFIC PROBLEM

1. What is the profile of a bartender?

a. Age

b. Gender/ Sex

c. Educational Background

d. Years of Experience

2. What are the personal attributes of a bartender in terms of?

a. Communication Skills

b. Personal Hygiene

c. Personal Etiquette

3. How do this personal attributes affect the effectiveness of the bartender in accomplishing his work?

4. What are the skills required of a bartender?

a. Creativity

b. Showmanship

c. Knowledge of Mixology

5. How do these skills affect the efficiency of the bartender?

SCOPE AND DELIMINATION

The extent of the study will focus on determining the personal attributes and skills of bartenders of two selected bars in Las Pinas area. It will cope up some information through references, interviews and other resources which can contribute answer to the question about their profile and to the personal attributes and skills they acquired pertaining to efficiency and effectiveness. It will also concentrate to the two bars located at Las Pinas area with the same type preferred by the researchers. These are:

• Time out

• Impulse

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study will benefit the following:

Bartenders

This study will give an overview on the skills and attributes of other bartenders on selected bars in Las Pinas area. Though this opportunity for the newly bartenders to have an idea on how to prepare their own abilities:

Managers on selected bars

Earning more people means more business. The result of the study can provide managers of different bars added information about the skills and attributes

of a bartender.

Hotel and Restaurant Management Students

Being the future practitioners in the hospitality industry, this will help them on how to improve the skills they posses and be aware of their own attributes. This will give them additional information thus will broaden their knowledge on how to be an effective bartender in the future.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Independent Intervening Dependent

Variables Variables Variables

1. Profile 1. Personal Attributes A good and professional bar

a. Age a. Communication Skills

b. Sex b. Personal Hygiene

c. Years of experience c.Personal Etiquette

II Skills

a. Creativity

b. Showmanship

c. Knowledge of mixing

Fig. 1.Assessment of personal Attributes and skills of a bartender in two Selected Bar in the Las Pinas City Area.

The concept of the study is presented on the research paradigm shown in fig.1 entitled “Assessment of Personal Attributes and Skills of a bartender in two Selected Bars in Las Pinas area”

The concept includes the independent variables such as age, sex, educational background and Years of experience. Among five bartenders on selected bars, that said variables are not barriers to be a figure of a good and professional bartender as long as they perform their work with effectiveness and efficiency.

Porter (2006), “Gender and age makes no difference.” Male or female can be a good bartender on condition that they have ability to perform their work and they acquired the personal attributes and skills stated in intervening principle even they are young or new in the job. According to Michael Russell (2007) where a bartender starts. Out in school or in a bar, the real world experience will ultimately be the best experience he can get.

Secondly, the intervening variables are much helpful in achieving the title “Professional Bartender” with the support of the personal attributes and skills they obtain such as their communication skills, personal hygiene, personal etiquette, their creativity, showmanship and knowledge of mixology.

Michael Russell (2007), “There are few basic elements that a good bartender must keep in mind.” He simply stated that in order to gain customer’s confidence a good bartender must assimilate such skills and personal attributes.

Lastly, the theories collected and the correlation of the independent and intervening variables will come up dependent variable which is a good and professional bartender.

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

Bar – place for drinking: a place where alcoholic drinks can be bought and drunk.

Bartender- somebody serving in the bar: somebody serves in the bar.

Bartending- is an act of being an attendant and servant that can manage the activities in the bar.

Mixology- the skill that preparing cocktails, especially cocktails containing alcohol

Execution- manner of performance: the style of manner in which something is carried out or accomplished.

Effectiveness- ability in producing the intended or expected result of work to be able get the confidence of the customers.

Efficiency- a competent performance to accomplished job in the best possible manner with a minimum expenditure of time and effort.

Professional- conforming to the standards of a profession.

Diplomat- somebody who is tactful and sensitive in dealings with other people

Nuisance- somebody or something irritating: or annoying or irritating person or thing

Temperament- A prevailing or dominant quality of mind that characterizes somebody.

Defuse- to make a situation less tense, dangerous, or uncomfortable

Mixologist- A employee or staff who mixed and serves alcoholic drinks at the bar.

Glamorous- artificially good-looking

Complex- group of repressed ideas that shape an individual’s response to think, feel, and act in a certain habitual pattern.

Skills- Proficiency facility and dexterity that is required or developed though training or experience.

Attribute- a quality or characteristic inherent in or ascribed to someone or something.

Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Foreign Literature

A Bartender( barman, Barkeep, barmaid, mixologist among other names)serves tends the beverages behind the bar in a bar, pub, tavern, or similar establishment. This usually

Includes alcoholic beverages of some kind, such as beer ( both draft and bottled),wine and/or cocktails, as well as soft drinks or non alcoholic beverages. He “tends the bar” A bartender may own the bar he tends, or simply be an employee. Barkeep carries a stronger connotation of being the purveyor i.e ownership.

In addition to their core beverages-serving responsibility, bartenders also:

• Take payment from customers (and sometimes the waiters or waitresses):

• Maintain the liquor, garnishes, glassware, and other supplies or inventory for the bar( though some establishment have barbacks which help with these duties):

In Establishments where cocktails are served, bartenders are expected to be able to proveperly mix hundreds to thousands of different drinks. (Bartenders-Guide)

According to Chris Thomas (2004). The central figure of beverages operation is the bar tender, an amalgam of sales person,entertainer, mixologist and psychologist. Ofcourse, the bartender primary function is to mix and serve drinks for patrons at the bar and/ or to pour drinks for able customers served by waiters and waitresses. Some say that is the easy part of the job. Less obvious, but not less than important, are the roles of custodian and care take care. This responsibilities include recording drink sales, washing glassware and utensils, maintaining clean and orderly bar. The bartender is typically a host and a promoter who’s combination of skills and styles translates into public relation benefits that build good will and good business.

According to Costas Katsigries (2004). Bartendings is as wide- is as wide wanging job as you can get in the food service business and it’s never a simple- or as glamorous- as it seems. The bartender is the person who notices when things are getting crowded and crazy and usesis eye contact and the smile to buy time when new comers or singles approach the bar; the person who wit, wisdom and approachability make him or her the center of conversation and the pourveyor of advice as well as drink concunction.

Bartending requires certain skills and aptitude- not the least of which is patients, adoptability and good attitude. The bartender must know the recipes for what ever drinks the house serves and technique for mixing them to be able to work quickly and accurately. To this end the job requires dexterity and a good short term memory. In a high- volume bar the ability to work quickly and under pressure is essential. A pleasing appearance and pleasing personality are essential in any bar, though less so in a service bar out of customer site. Honesty is the most important quality of all and- many bar owners insist- the hardest to find.

According to Porter (2004). these are the certain qualities that a good bartender must acquired:

• Gender makes no difference

• The bartender is a good host

• The bartender is a diplomat

• An authority figure

• A role model

• Knows how to mix drinks

In the February 1998 issue of restaurant Hospitality Magazine, author Robert Plotkin listed some undesirable traits of a bartender.

• They maintain a “ Me first” Perspective

• They disregard specified serving portions

• They served inferior products

• They lack short- term memory

• Their priorities are scattered

• They give preferential treatment

• They are an imaginative order- takers

• They let their professionals demeanor slip

Bartenders also usually serve as the public image of the bar they tend, contributing to as well as reflecting the atmosphere of the bar. In some establishments focused strictly on the food, this can mean the bartender is all but invisible. On the other extreme, some establishments make the bartender part of the entertainment, expected perhaps to the engage in flair bartending or other forms of entertainment such as those exemplified in the films Cocktail and Coyote Ugly. Some bars might be known for bartenders which serve the drinks and otherwise let a patron alone, while others want their bartenders to be good listeners and offer counseling( or a “shoulder to cry on”) as required. Good bartenders help provide a steady clientele by remembering the favored drinks of regulars, having recommendations on hand for local nightlife beyond the bar, or other unofficial duties. In regions where tipping is the norm, bartenders depend on tips for most of their income. In those establishments where minors are not allowed within the bar area, bartenders are also usually responsible for confirming that customers are of the legal drinking age before serving them alcohol. ( Bartending Handbook ATBP, 1991)

In United States, bartenders are required to obtain certification as a condition of employment. According to their bureau of labor Statistics( BLS, 2004), they provides extensive detail on the typical job requirements